BURMA DODGE TRUCKS

BURMA DODGE TRUCKS

Photos of Burma Dodges found at National Archives in College Park, MD and from truck service manual. The color photos were taken by Keith Webb at the Tank Museum in Melborne Australia before the recent auction. See his web site for more pictures and auction results at http://www.oldcmp.net/mtm_06_1.html

The black and white photos of the Burma Dodge trucks in India and on the Ledo Road where found at the National Archives in College Park, MD I just stumbled on them and the only way to make copies I had was to Xerox them and later digitalize them. This would account for the poor quality. I hope to go back some day and scan them into a computer.

According to Don Bunn in his book DODGE TRUCKS page 111 the trucks were built for the Chinese Army by Dodge. The contract was for 15000 trucks and production started in Oct 44 ran into early 46. They were built extra heavy duty and were right hand drive. GVW rating of 20000lb. Had a Clark 5 speed transmission, 9.00/20 tires, ten-stud Budd disc wheels, 331 ci 128 hp L-head six cyclinder engine, 13in clutch, 170in wheelbase and a maximun payload capacity of 11,200 lbs. The front clip most likely inspired the design of the post war Dodge 4x4 power wagons. Another article makes mention that a ship carrying Burma Dodges was sinking off Australia during WWII. Some of the trucks were off loaded to Australia which explains why the Tank Museum had a Burma Dodge truck and a couple wrecks. The article had mention that a large dairy in Australia
had used these trucks at one time.

The spammer are leaving tons of spam as guest comments so will have to delete that option. Below are few valid comments:

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My father was wounded on the Burma Road while passing a convoy of these trucks. The Japs strafed the convoy and a lot of the Chinese drivers jumped from their trucks. My father was on an Army Harley passing by at the time.He was a S/Sgt and a member of the Flying Tigers in the Army Air Force. He was in the Assam Dragons. He ended up in a hospital in India for several weeks, but never received a Purple Heart. Another sergeant wrote his letters for him to Mom while he was injured. He would not talk about the war much, but he was in China, India, and Burma for three years and three months. Anyone that might happen to have any photos of him or his group, I would appreciate a digital file of them very much.
- Harry E. Moran II, Sun, 3 Jul 2011 10:29AM

My Father was on the Burma Road driving one of the trucks and cooking for the troops. When the Air Force split off after the war he joined th Air Force and became a mechanic on the Jet aircraft.

I will look in some of his albums and see if he has any pictures on the Burma road. If so I will pass them on.

You have a very good web site.
- Andy J. Barfield III, Sat, 4 Apr 2009 8:16AM

My dad, 89, has a picture of himself sitting on the fender of a Dodge truck as he was trying to start the China exit home after the war. He was glad that it was a new truck. It had just arrived. It broke down when the brakes locked up during the first few miles. They had a mechanic but all he had was a knife to work with. He freed up the brakes. They then get hit over a dozen times trying to get down the mountain. No injuries till he boarded a plane over the Hump. He ruptured his ears and is still fighting with the VA for help. They finally got him a high powered aid and he can hear a little. He still laughs about that truck, more now than then.
- Harry Branch, Fri, 30 Jan 2009 7:39AM

my father worked on and assembled those trucks in Inda and Burma during the war. He is 86 now and I am trying to get as much information for him as I can. I have a real interest in what he did as he traveled the entire world during the war and warked at the base of the burma road at Ledo. Any information you can give me would be appreciated.
- Tom Purvis, Tue, 28 Nov 2006 7:14PM

MAY 22, 20061 - 42 of 117 Images43798 visitsAlbum by VC40WC41

BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 1 This an article on the Burma Dodge. I am not sure of the source. There is a "Classic Trucks" at the bottom of the page. I think this was provided by someone orginally from Australia but not sure. If anyone is familar with this publication please add info in comment section. The article is hard to read in this format. I will have to see if there is another way I can do this.	BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 2	BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 3
BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 4	BURMA DODGE MAINTENANCE MANUAL	T-234 MAINTENANCE MANUAL
BURMA DODGE PARTS LIST This is the Chinese version of the parts list.	T-234 PARTS LIST	BURMA DODGE Image from T-234 manual Any idea what that thing is hanging on the pillar between the windshield and side door
BURMA DODGE TRUCK REAR	BURMA DODGE DASH The truck was right hand drive. I suspect this was because the truck was design to haul on the Ledo and Burma Road. Since the British controlled India and Burma at the time of WWII most likely the roads where designated right hand drive. Burma is now left hand drive as is China. Not sure about India but will find out.	BURMA DODGE ENGINE The Burma Dodge used a 331ci flathead 6 cyclinder engine. This was the largest gasoline engine Dodge built at that time WWII I have an engine rebuilt for the restoration of the BD truck. The engine is post war so has a different intake/exhaust manifold. If anyone knows of a manifold as shown in this photo for the 331ci engine please email me at vc40wc41@yahoo.com
BURMA DODGE FRAME Wheel base was 170 inches.	BURMA DODGE TRUCK STOP INDIA ASSAM JULY 45 This appears to be a truck park in Assam India taken in July 1945. The trucks appear to be loaded for a trip to China. I suspect they only made a one way trip as the war ended the next month.	MAG BURMA DODGE TRUCK PARK
ASSAM STATE Assam state is in NE India is where the Ledo road started. The Burma Dodge could of came in country at Calcutta but a lot of men and material came thru Bombay and had to be transported by rail and barge all the way across India to Assam.	INDIAN WORKERS NOT BURMA TRUCK BUT WORKERS WOULD OF HELPED LOAD THE TRUCKS	BURMA DODGE ON RAIL CARS
BURMA TRUCK ON FLATCAR	MAG BURMA DODGE ON FLATCAR	BURMA TRUCKS ON RAIL CARS
BURMA DODGE DRIVER SIDE I have been puzzled by what that item was on the front door pillar was. A viewer pointed out the cab picture shows something on the inside door pillar. I went back to the manual and noticed this was labelled horn. Not sure how it works.Added: this is a Klaxon type horn.	BURMA DODGES ON RIVER FERRY	BURMA DODGE COMING OF BARGE
BURMA TRUCK OFF FERRY	BURMA TRUCK AT GAS STATION	BURMA DODGES ON ROAD STOP
BURMA DODGES AT ROAD PIT STOP Even to this day a gasoline supply along the Ledo road is just a guy with a few cans of gasoline to sell. Since much of the traffic is motorbike now it seems to work.	TYPICAL BURMA GAS STATION 2006	FILLER UP
BURMA DODGES CROSS SMALL BRIDGE	BURMA DODGE AND COE	BURMA DODGE LEDO ROAD COOLIES This is probably along the Ledo Road but not sure if in India or Burma. It could also be along the Burma road but doubt. It is hard to tell who the natives are but does show how the road was built and maintained.
BURMA DODGE ON LEDO ROAD	LEDO ROAD REPAIR Chinese workers repairing Ledo Road in Burma in 2006	AUS BURMA DODGE Photo provided by Bob Moseley from Australia.
AUS BURMA DODGE SIDE Photos of a Burma Dodge at Tank Museum in Melborne Australia taken by Keith Webb. I later bought this truck at auction and had it shipped to the USA. As far as I know it is the only one in the USA. Added 2/28/2015 I am now if the final stages of restoring this truck.	BURMA DODGE CAB	REAR CAB BURMA DODGE The gas tank on the right side is not original. It is two tanks welded together. Probably need large tanks in Australia as gas stations are probably far apart.
BURMA DODGE REAR WHEELS	BURMA DODGE ENGINE COMPARTMENT	BURMA DODGE REAR END This rearend I think is unique to the BD trucks.